Glutamate and GABA Flashcards
Is glutamate excitatory or inhibitory?
Excitatory.
What does glutamine synthase do?
Converts glutamate into glutamine.
What does glutaminase do?
Converts glutamine into glutamate.
What does transaminase convert glutamate into?
Alpha-oxoglutarate.
How is glutamate transported into a vesicle?
Active transport.
State the two types of receptors glutamate acts on.
Inotropic receptors. Metabotropic receptors.
NMDA, AMPA and Karinate are all types of which receptors?
Ionotropic receptors.
What are metabotropic receptors?
G-protein coupled receptors.
Where is acetylcholine broken down?
Outside the cell.
Is glutamate broken down inside or outside the cell?
Inside the cell.
What does EAAT stand for?
Excitatory amino acid transporter. Ensures re-uptake of glutamate back into the cell.
What happens to glutamate in glia (non-neuronal cells)?
Converted by glutamine synthase into glutamine.
Name 2 drugs that act on NMDA receptors.
Ketamine. Memantine.
What is the role of memantine?
Competitive antagonist used to treat Alzheimer’s disease (reduce neurodegeneration).
What is the role of perampanel?
Non-competitive antagonist. Anti-epipleptic drug.
What is the function of ketamine?
Anesthesia. Pain relief.
What is the use of phencyclidine (angel dust)?
Recreational drug - creates hallucinations.
Is GABA excitatory or inhibitory?
Inhibitory.
What is pre-cursor for GABA?
Glutamate. Using enzyme GAD (glutamic acid decarboxylase).
GABA is transported into vesicle for storage via what transporter?
vGABAT - vesicular GABA transporter.
When GABA binds to ionotropic receptors, what anion channel is opened?
Chloride ion channel.
What GABA receptors couples to Gi & Go G-proteins?
Metabotropic G-protein coupled receptor - activated by GABA.
What cells surround neurones and provide support for and insulation between them?
Glial cells.
What are the 4 types of glial cells?
Oligodendrocytes. Astrocytes. Ependymal cells. Schwann cells. Microglia. Satellite cells.
What are the transporters GAT1 and GAT3 used for?
GABA re-uptake.
What enzymes degrades GABA in glial cells?
Succinic semialdehyde.
Name the drug that blocks the transporter of GABA into the neurone.
Tiagabine - epilepsy.
Name the drug that blocks the degradation of GABA.
Vigabatrine - treat epilepsy.
Muscimol, bicuclline, picrotoxin, benzodiazepines, ethanol, propofol all act on which type of GABA receptors.
GABAa (ionotropic receptors).
Baclofen and saclofen all act on which GABA receptors.
GABAb (metabotropic receptors).
State a recreational drug acting on the GABA receptor.
Barbiturates ‘downers.’ Nitrous oxide ‘laughing gas.’
